Best 8 Genshin Impact Characters for Beginners 2026
Early resin is the scarcest resource in the game. This list prioritizes characters that stay relevant in Spiral Abyss, so nothing you invest in early becomes wasted later.
How We Rank These
New players make the same mistake: spreading resin across eight characters and ending up with eight mediocre ones. The correct approach is to fully build one team of four, and to pick characters whose value does not disappear once you reach late game. Everything on this list is either a free 4-star or a character that remains best-in-slot years later.
Bennett
The best 4-star in the game. He buffs ATK, heals, and batteries — and he is still used in endgame teams years later.
Watch out: Do not activate his C6 unless you understand what it overrides.
Xingqiu
Highest off-field Hydro application, plus damage reduction and interrupt resistance. He enables Vaporize, Hyperbloom, and Freeze.
Watch out: Needs 180-200% ER before he feels good, which is a real early-game hurdle.
Xiangling
Free from Spiral Abyss, deals the best off-field Pyro damage in the game, and The Catch R5 is a free weapon that suits her perfectly.
Watch out: Useless without Bennett for energy — build them together.
Kuki Shinobu
Turns any Dendro plus Hydro pair into a Hyperbloom team, and needs only level 90 plus EM artifacts to reach near-maximum damage.
Watch out: Weak outside Hyperbloom and Overload teams.
Fischl
Oz applies Electro off-field and generates energy, which makes her useful in Aggravate, Taser, and Overload teams.
Watch out: Single-target only, so she is less impressive in large mob pulls.
Sucrose
Best 4-star Anemo support: VV shred, EM share, and she can hold Thrilling Tales for a free ATK buff.
Watch out: Weaker crowd control than Kazuha, and her buffs need EM investment.
Kaeya
Free, applies Cryo off-field, and works as a budget Freeze or Melt enabler before you have better Cryo units.
Watch out: His damage falls off in late game compared to limited 5-star Cryo units.
Collei — free Dendro applicator
A free Dendro unit who unlocks Hyperbloom, Aggravate, and Bloom without pulling Nahida, and her boomerang applies Dendro from off-field.
Watch out: Short skill uptime compared to Nahida, so reaction coverage is noticeably worse in longer fights.
Verdict
Build one team first: Bennett + Xiangling + Xingqiu + one on-field driver you enjoy. That single team carries you through almost all early and mid-game content. Then add Kuki Shinobu plus Dendro Traveler to unlock Hyperbloom, which is the cheapest path to clearing Spiral Abyss.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many characters should I build early?
Four. Fully building one team is far more effective than partially building eight characters, because talent levels and weapon levels matter more than character count.
Should beginners wish on the weapon banner?
No. Every archetype has a strong 4-star or craftable weapon, and primogems are far better spent on characters.
When should I start farming artifacts?
After Adventure Rank 45, when 5-star artifacts are guaranteed from domains. Before that, use whatever has the correct main stats and spend resin on talents, weapons, and character levels.